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Raiders training camp preview: Will Ashton Jeanty’s talent be enough to fix run game?

The Raiders will kick off training camp July 23 in Henderson. That makes this a perfect time to take a position-by-position look at the club’s roster.

Perhaps no group has generated more offseason hype for fans than the running backs. Well, at least one of them.

The drafting of Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State has sparked optimism the Raiders can immediately turn around one of the league’s worst rushing attacks.

Here is a closer look at the running backs:

In the mix

Jeanty, Raheem Mostert, Sincere McCormick, Zamir White, Dylan Laube, Chris Collier.

2024 performance

Jeanty had one of the best seasons in college football history for Boise State, racing to 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns and eclipsing 100 yards in all 14 games the Broncos played.

The Raiders only rushed for 100 yards as a team five times and had just one individual reach that mark when Ameer Abdullah tallied 115 yards in a late-season game against the Saints.

It was a tough year for the run game, overall.

The Raiders finished last in rushing yards and were one of only two teams in the league to average less than 4 yards per attempt.

Gone are Abdullah and Alexander Mattison, the team’s two leading rushers from last season.

McCormick actually helped breathe a bit of life into the run game only to suffer a season-ending injury after averaging 4.7 yards per carry on just 39 attempts.

White was believed to be the one to take the torch from former star Josh Jacobs, but was limited by injuries and ineffectiveness to amass just 183 yards on 65 carries. While there is still hope he can fulfill the promise he showed in college and at sporadic times in his first couple seasons, White has a lot to prove in order to carve out a role on this team.

Laube fumbled on his only carry of the season and was mostly a special teamer, while Collier was signed midseason and appeared in three contests.

Potential camp battles

Jeanty is almost certainly locked in as the starter, but the rest of the depth chart is open.

Mostert was brought in before Jeanty was drafted and the Raiders probably figured at the time they needed a reliable option in the backfield.

The organization is pretty high on McCormick, however, and he is now fully healthy.

White’s falloff was drastic, but the new scheme could help him find himself. Could Laube or Collier beat out someone for one of what is expected to be four roster spots because of their special teams play?

Breakout candidate

Jeanty, obviously.

The Raiders eschewed new-age NFL thinking by drafting a running back in the top 10 and they are going to give him every chance to succeed. He’s got all the skills to do so.

That’s the easy answer, though.

McCormick looked explosive in his limited opportunities last year and could provide a dangerous second option when Jeanty needs a break.

Area of concern

While there is reason to believe the offensive line will be improved with another year of development and Jackson Powers-Johnson shifting over to center as well as the implementation of the run-friendly scheme of Chip Kelly, it is still largely the same group that struggled last season.

All the talent in the world at running back really won’t matter if the Raiders can’t execute up front.

Jeanty is also coming off a season of carrying an extreme workload so there is always the concern it could take a toll on his body this year.

Any kind of injury to him makes this group look extremely different.

What they are saying

“Ashton is as talented a back as a young guy coming in the league that I’ve seen. He’s really special. His ability to sustain runs after contact, his contact balance is kind of a really rare quality. He’s got a low center of gravity, and I think it’s tough to get him down and normally the first guy doesn’t. … So, excited to see him. The one thing about him is he’s a really quick learner. He also had experience there with Dirk Koetter, his offensive coordinator in his last year. … So he came in with a good basis and understanding. And so, he’s done a great job, really, really excited to work with him. I know everybody on the offensive staff was excited when (general manager John Spytek) made that selection,” Kelly, during OTAs.

Best-case scenario

Jeanty is as-advertised and Mostert provides veteran leadership and enough production to allow the rookie to take a breather when necessary.

McCormick stays healthy and adds another explosive dimension to the offense while the offensive line thrives in Kelly’s system that allows them to get out on the edges and use their athleticism.

Worst-case scenario

The offensive line has difficulty adjusting to the new scheme and doesn’t allow Jeanty room to get free and showcase his immense talent.

Or even worse, he gets hurt.

Mostert, who was brought in as a free agent before Jeanty was drafted, has his age finally catch up to him at 33 years old.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.

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